Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Relationship between Cerambyciid borer (Insecta: Coleoptera) infestation and human-induced biotic interferences causing mortality of kharsu (Quercus semecarpifolia Smith in Rees) oak trees in Garhwal, Western Himalaya, India


Affiliations
1 Entomology Branch, Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun 248 006, India
 

Stem and wood boring beetles significantly damage kharsu oak trees leading to their mortality and decline in the Garhwal region of Western Himalaya, India. The relationship established between the prevalent biotic factors (extensive lopping and grazing) and the degree of borer infestation in Chakrata hills, Uttarakhand, revealed a strong correlation between the two. Density–girth class relationship in borer-infested oak stands revealed a higher degree of past disturbance compared to uninfested oak stands, with maximum infestation in girth class 61–80 cm and between 2601 and 2700 msl.

Keywords

Biotic interference, oak, stand composition, stem and wood borer, tree density.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Troup, R. S., The Silviculture of Indian Trees, Clarendon Press, Oxford, UK, 1921, vols I–III.
  • Negi, S. S. and Naithani, H. B., Oaks of India, Nepal and Bhutan, International Book Distributors, Dehradun, 1995.
  • Shrestha, B. B., Quercus semecarpifolia Sm. in the Himalayan region: ecology, exploitation and threats. Himalayan J. Sci., 2003, 1(2), 126–128.
  • Gajendra, S., Rai, I. D. and Rawat, G. S., The year 2010 was ‘mast seed year’ for the Kharsu oak (Quercus semecarpifolia Sm.) in the Western Himalaya. Curr. Sci., 2011, 100(9), 1275.
  • Singh, A. P., Incidence of oak borers and oak mortality in Garhwal Himalaya, India. Indian For., 2011, 137(10), 1188–1193.
  • Beeson, C. F. C., Ecology and Control of the Forest Insects of India and the Neighbouring Countries, Government of India Publication, New Delhi, 1941.
  • Mitra, B., Bhaumik, S., Chakraborti, U. and Mallick, K., An update on the diversity, distribution and zoo-geographical notes on longhorn beetles (Cerambycidae: Coleoptera) of North-East India. Biol. Forum – Int. J., 2017, 9(2), 61–80.
  • Lazarev, M. A. and Murzin, S. V., Catalogue of Nepal Longhorn beetles (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae). Humanity Space-Int. Almanac., 2019, 8(6), 746–868.
  • Champion, H. G. and Seth, S. K., A Revised Survey of the Forest Types of India, Manager of Publications, New Delhi, 1968.
  • Chandrashekara, U. M., Assessment of level of human disturbance in village-adjacent natural forest plots in the Kerala part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. Int. J. Ecol. Environ. Sci., 2013, 39(4), 211–221.
  • Richards, P. W., The Tropical Rainforest: An Ecological Study, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 1952.
  • Bhuyan, P., Khan, M. and Tripathi, R., Tree diversity and population structure in undisturbed and human-impacted stands of tropical wet evergreen forest in Arunachal Pradesh, Eastern Himalayas, India. Biodivers. Conserv., 2003, 12, 1753–1773.
  • Johnson, F. L. and Bell, D. T., Size-class structure of three streamside forests. Am. J. Bot., 1975, 62(1), 81–85.
  • Schmelz, D. V. and Lindsey, A. A., Size-class structure of oldgrowth forests in Indiana. Forest Sci., 1965, 11(3), 258–264.
  • Parker, A. J. and Peet, R. K., Size and age structure of conifers forests. Ecology, 1984, 65(5), 1685–1689.
  • Saxena, A. K., Singh, S. P. and Singh, J. S., Population structure of forests of Kumaun Himalaya: implications for management. J. Environ. Manage., 1984, 19(4), 307–324.
  • Kalisch, J. A. and Baxendale, F. P., Insects Borers of Shade Trees and Woody Ornamentals, EC1518, University of NebraskaLincoln Extension EC1580, 2010, pp. 1–8.
  • Guo, H., Guan, L., Wang, Y., Xie, L., Prather, C. M., Liu, C. and Ma, C., Grazing limits natural biological controls of woody encroachment in Inner Mongolia Steppe. Biol. Open, 2017, 6(10), 1569–1574.
  • Rambo, J. L. and Faeth, S. H., Effect of vertebrate grazing on plant and insect community structure. Conserv. Biol., 1999, 13(5), 1047–1054.
  • Kruess, A. and Tscharntke, T., Contrasting responses of plant and insect diversity to variation in grazing intensity. Biol. Conserv., 2002, 106, 293–302.

Abstract Views: 171

PDF Views: 82




  • Relationship between Cerambyciid borer (Insecta: Coleoptera) infestation and human-induced biotic interferences causing mortality of kharsu (Quercus semecarpifolia Smith in Rees) oak trees in Garhwal, Western Himalaya, India

Abstract Views: 171  |  PDF Views: 82

Authors

Gaurav Chand Ramola
Entomology Branch, Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun 248 006, India
Arun Pratap Singh
Entomology Branch, Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun 248 006, India

Abstract


Stem and wood boring beetles significantly damage kharsu oak trees leading to their mortality and decline in the Garhwal region of Western Himalaya, India. The relationship established between the prevalent biotic factors (extensive lopping and grazing) and the degree of borer infestation in Chakrata hills, Uttarakhand, revealed a strong correlation between the two. Density–girth class relationship in borer-infested oak stands revealed a higher degree of past disturbance compared to uninfested oak stands, with maximum infestation in girth class 61–80 cm and between 2601 and 2700 msl.

Keywords


Biotic interference, oak, stand composition, stem and wood borer, tree density.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv122%2Fi3%2F327-332